From inline to ice: How a speed skating star got her Olympic chance

Heather Bergsma is a world record holder and world champion. Now she's on the hunt for Olympic gold.

Author:
Rene Knott, KSDK

Published:
4:43 PM EST January 24, 2018

Updated:
4:43 PM EST January 24, 2018

If there's one thing Heather Bergsma enjoys, it's speed.

And that's actually how the former inline skater became an Olympian.

"With inline you keep hearing, oh it’s going to be in the next summer games, the next summer games so I was really looking forward to that," Bergsma recalled. "Finally, I lost hope and I think my only chances are to switch over to ice.”

But switching sports didn't slow her down.

“The less you try, I know it sounds crazy, the faster you’ll go,” Bergsma explained.

Since Sochi she's switched coaches, got a new training program and is basically doing "everything differently." And the results have been clear.

In 2017, the two-time Olympian won two golds at the World Championship, giving her confidence for the upcoming games in South Korea.

Heather Bergsma skates during training for her third Olympics.

The other big change in her life was getting married to Dutch speed skating champion Jorrit Bergsma.